Neat
by syriana94
Summary: [One-shot, Crack!Pairing, FemSlash] Edith is about to go home, late at night, when she realizes she's not alone in the office. Sometimes a glass of liquor shared with a special coworker can change your life forever. Edith/Laura


_How do I begin explaining this? It just came out.  
I shipped Edith & Laura since the first time I saw them, they seems the perfect couple you didn't expect to happen, they understand each other, they support each other. They're good friends and they could have been a good match, according to me._  
 _Happily I found out I wasn't the only one who shipped these two._

 _With my gf and the help of the lovely_ _Downtonix_ _, we came up with the name "Laurith" for them and if no one has ever claimed pathernity of it, we do :)  
Check out the fanvideo on YouTube: "I can't change - Edith X Laura" by me, (you should find it by typing the title in the search box).  
_

 _So, what more to say?_  
 _It's a_ _ **Crack!Pairing**_ _, of course and it goes under the_ _ **FemSlash**_ _category - don't like, don't read, I do not need homophobic comments here - with romance and a **M** ature scene. _  
_At the moment I have no future plans for these two, but you can never know.  
I'm not a native, so please leave a review if you want to help me!  
_

 _Also, I chose this one-shot as my summer farewell before my vacation - if you leave a review and don't get an answer, please forgive me, I'll write back as soon as I can, promise!  
 **I'll see you again on the last week of August with new chapters and a new story!**_

 _[...] You'll be shocked,  
And amused,  
titillated and confused  
by the sultry Sapphic story  
of a certain group of friends,  
come on, come in, we're ready to begin... _\- the L Word S04E09

* * *

 **Neat**

She loved the silence when it fell upon London late at night.

That chaotic city of cars and sellers and people coming and going, becoming that peaceful abandoned village of crooked streets and dark buildings, realm of stray cats and gamblers and lovers, hidden behind curtains of night and dreams.

During the day, London was so different from the Yorkshire, from the quiet hours of her home, yet during nights.. all changed: she couldn't hear the crickets, but she could hear some distant music playing in the distance, maybe coming from some fancy party of the high society, she couldn't breath the fresh air of the gardens sneaking though the windows, but she could smell the hundreds scents of the city, from the prickly one of her employee's cigars to the fragrant aroma of the bread baked in the early hours.

She loved London. She loved London like she loved her home.

Edith sighed, pushing her hand on the small of her back, making her bones soundly crack. She smiled softly, a little relieved, dreaming of her comfortable bed in which she would have laid until her alarm clock would have tell her that it was time to get back on her feet and diving into the world once again, like she did yesterday and like she would have done tomorrow; her world of habits and yet so dynamic, her world of timing and races for the freshest news, stories, scandals.

She walked out from her office, coat and hat in her hand and stepped into the corridor, her heels hitting regularly the floor. She liked that sound because it reminded her of home, of her mother graceful walk into the upper corridor after dinner, it reminded her also of the frenetic typing that filled her days, of the melody of the words, the powerful phrases that could dominate the entire world.  
She crossed several empty offices, curiously peeking inside of each one to check if the fire into the mantel had been put out and the desk were clean enough to satisfy her taste.  
She moved forward, ready to open the door and leave the building when the light of a fire caught her attention. It came from behind the closed door of Laura's office, her latest acquire, a strong woman with substance, ideas, spirit and bravery, all those things that Edith was looking for in a colleague, along with support, of course, which Laura always provided her, plus she was a woman and she seemed to understand her more than anyone, well, better than her previous nasty editor, that was sure.

Edith turned slowly to her door, trying to capture the scene behind the blurred glass without much success, then she decided to knock, to see if she forgot the fire still on or to warn her – if she was in there – that she was going home.  
She hit softly her knuckles on the wood and without waiting she grasped the handle, pushing slightly the door ajar.

Her caramel eyes wandered briefly around the room, until they focused on the desk, Laura's back propped against the chair, her hands on her typewriter, her glass on the end of the nose, her eyes concentrated; but what most attracted Edith were her lips, painted in red, loosely holding up a cigarette, whose tip lightened up with shades of yellows and oranges with every breath she took.  
When she realized she was staring, Edith cleared her throat.

"Laura, I'm going home." she said, just above breath "Would you mind close for me?" she held up the keys for few seconds, until Laura rose her head to her and smiled.

"I'm quite fished." she stated "I'm just writing for myself, nothing urgent." Laura sighed, leaning on her chair and extending her limbs, suppressing with some difficulty a large yawn.

"I'll wait for you, then." replied Edith with a nod.

She strived not to ask her more about her writing, following her curiosity, but she thought better leave the matter behind for the moment; she was tired and frankly she felt worn out herself.  
Edith sighed loudly, taking her time to stretch her back, her eyes closed, while picture of Laura putting away her sheets and typewriter and wearing her coat flashed before her lids. She was waiting for her telling that she was ready, wishing her goodnight as she climbed down the stairs and then took different paths to go to their homes, but nothing of the sort happened and Edith started to wondered what took so long.

"Wait."

She opened her eyes when Laura's voice called her: the woman had a sly smile on her face which made Edith curious, thus she stepped closer when Laura waved her hand, suggesting her to join her behind her desk.

"What is it?" Edith enquired, sure that she wanted to show her something secret, maybe another mysterious author or maybe one of her mischievous and unpublished love stories.

"I found it earlier." she whispered, biting her bottom lip as her hand worked suspiciously under the desk "Seems your ugly, nasty ex-editor knew how to treat himself." her smile became even more wide when the silence of the room was interrupted by a distinct _click._ "Ah!" she softly gloated and pointed with a nod of the chin somewhere under the table.

Edith got closer until a small closet appeared to her sight.

"What is that?"she asked in shock, unable to break her eye contact with Laura's hand, which was picking up a curious bottle, half empty with a dark, brown liquid.

"A little gift from an old friend." Laura chuckled. "Take a couple of glass, we still haven't properly celebrated."

Edith was beyond moving. She was completely shocked, by the news of her ex-editor having trouble with alcohol, by Laura's behaviour, by herself who was still there, listening, without taking any measures.

"Celebrate what, exactly?" she asked blankly, following the other woman with her eyes as she sighed and with a diverted shake of her head she walked to the other side of the room, passing her, to collect two cups from the cabinet she usually used for tea, or coffee.

"Well, first of all.. my employment." she stated merrily, placing the cups on the desk with soft thuds "Secondly, the success of the paper." she shrugged her shoulder and offered the bottle to Edith.

"Yes." she whispered, her eyes focused on the liquor's label "But we probably shouldn't." she bit her inner cheek "Besides it's really late."

"Why not?" Laura casually waved her hand "No one will ever know." she said, the corner of her mouth raising into a coy smile "And we will oversleep. Tomorrow is our day off, isn't it?"

"It is." Edith confirmed, her voice just a weak breath.

Her eyes focused then on Laura's hand, her slender fingers grasping the transparent glass, creating a special web of colours as she poured in the caramel liquor with a mechanic gesture. Edith didn't even know what she was doing until Laura offered her the second glass and she filled that one as well almost at its full.

She'd watched so many times the men coming from the library after dinner to join the women, she'd looked as they talked with their whiskeys and scotches in their hands, so bold and fierce, and she'd always wondered how what would feel like to sit with a liquor in her right hand, late at night, listening to the sound of the day's success, with a victory cigar in her left one, while outside the silence was roaring and the mantel's fire bathing her with its soft and warm light.

She was about to do that, with the company of the person she shared the day's success, the same person she had to thank for it, Laura, with her passionate behaviour and her sweet face, that devil dressed up as an angel, the one who saved her and damned at the same time: Edith was grateful to have her and as the time passed, she also realized she couldn't make it without her; without Laura, the paper and herself, wouldn't have been anything.

"Easy." Laura sweet chuckle made her startle. She had also pushed slightly the glass up, so that the bottle's angle would have prevented Edith to pour more liquor inside, making it spill on the carpet below their feet.

"Sorry." Edith emulated her grin, embarrassed, and took the other glass, thinking that maybe a sip or two would have caused no harm.

"To us." Laura said, her voice low, her teeth already on the rim as her blue eyes was staring right at her. The fire was flickering into her black pupils ad long lashes contoured gracefully those deep pools.

Edith lost herself for quite some time before Laura broke the contact, taking a long sip, revealing a blended shade of brown make-up on her lids.  
That woman had cast the most charming and mysterious spell on her ad she was equally scared and amused by that new sensation.

"To us." Edith repeated shortly after, closing her lips on the edge of her glass, letting the burning liquid slide into her throat.  
She closed her eyes to better bear that feeling, a flame that spread into her stomach, up into her mouth as a fire was crackling inside her; Edith wasn't used to that strong taste and soon her tongue and lips began to tingle.  
It wasn't proper for a lady to drink, as a matter of fact the most alcoholic thing that had ever touched her body was the wine or the few sips of champagne on the last day of the year.

Edith thought that it was funny that Laura appeared to be the opposite of her, or even had the opposite experiences of life: she smoked cigarettes, she drank, she supported the political movements in women's favour; Edith admired her free and wild spirit, and even if she didn't feel like fitting into her world, she didn't dislike at all having Laura in hers.

She bent her lips into an invisible smile.

When she opened back er eyes, however, Edith didn't expect to see the woman's face so close to hers. Laura's bright eyes had caught her entire sight, her pink lips slightly ajar, near, way to close, her soft breath touched Edith's cheek and neck like a spring gust.

Time seemed to have stopped there.

Edith could feel Laura's gaze on her lips, and she felt trapped, with her in front of her and the wall behind, her fingers grasping a shacking glass of liquor and the other on her side, unable to move. What was all that about?

Was is her mind, playing a disturbing game with her, was it the Scotch, was is Laura?  
Did she misread her intention? Did she not?  
What was about to happen?

Before she could find any answer to all those questions, the sand of the hourglass resumed to flow and Laura moved, quickly, toward her, up until her breath brushed against Edith's mouth. And there would be more than that if Edith's free hand wouldn't have found its way to Laura's wrist, stopping her to go further.

Laura was chuckling, her body leaning up on hers, her lips still close to her mouth.

Edith began to breath heavily, shocked and afraid and lost.

"Are you drunk?" she panted, her fingers tightening around the woman's skin.

Maybe Edith should have asked that question to herself.  
Was she about to kiss her?  
What a surrealistic situation.

"No." Laura answered, her tone low.  
As a matter of fact, her voice didn't betrayed her and she seemed perfectly sober. "No one will ever know." she said again and she smirked.

She'd said that words already during that peculiar night and yet, before, they didn't have that mysterious shade.

Edith had the sensation of being about to break a rule, she felt special and blessed, in some sort of way, of having thoughts of damned nature, of being about to walk a path of inconveniences and revolutions by the hand of that fallen angel who had showed her everything that was yet to be discovered in that world of theirs, all the passions and dangers and surprises and boldnesses she could've witnessed and taken part.  
She felt uncontrollably attracted to that and yet she couldn't avoid feeling wrong or blameworthy or soiled, because of her wishes and desires of knowledge her heart was aching to absorb.

"We can't do this, Laura." she said firmly.

She wanted to shout, show her her anger, her disgust her disagreement, her complete opposition and reject toward that matter, yet she couldn't.

"Do what, exactly?" Lara smirked again and her lips, for an instant, were so close to Edith's she almost felt her skin tickle.

Edith stared at her with a blank expression painted onto her face.

What game was she playing? What spell did she cast on her? She felt dizzy and charmed, scared and intrigued and so very afraid of even thinking about what could have happened if she didn't stop Laura, if she wouldn't be able to stop her again and surrender to whatever the other woman plans were.

"It-it's _wrong_." she spoke again, in a such small voice it was barely audible.

Even as a child, in the most inconvenient hours, Edith had always thought about her family: how would have they behaved, what would they have thought. She'd thought about the disappointment she'd given her father, her older sister making fun of her, her Granny watching down on her with the most judgemental look and most of all her mother, who she tried to emulate with a great failure, every time. What would her mama think of her right now? Her, who was so elegant and pure, always saying the right thing, doing the right thing, kind and compassionate, a lady from deep inside.  
Edith would have stained herself with those sinful actions and then, then it would have been truly impossible to even dream to become like her mama, one day.

"What's wrong?" Laura's blue eyes pierced her soul and then disappeared, quickly, under her long lashes, as her hand brought her glass once again onto her lips.

"This." Edith whispered "You're a.. _woman_." she pointed out and drew a small breath.

"Yes, I am." Laura chuckled, her laugh light in the air, then grinned, with her white teeth clicking on the glass. "Aren't you curious?" she asked with a husky tone "Not even a bit?"

Edith swallowed hard. She watched as the other woman slowly put down the liquor back on the desk, her tongue ran across her lips, collecting all the intoxicating flavour left behind.

She'd always considered herself as a modern girl, the one who didn't fear married an older man, the one who fell in love with another married man, the one who kept a daughter hidden from her family, the one who ran a paper, alone, in a contemporary town like London, building her own life and her own fate. She'd always had thought she already had taken everything life could offer and yet there she was, questioning herself, her very soul, wondering if she omitted a whole piece of experiences she didn't even reckon in her wildest dreams.

"Well-" Edith gasped, her words dying into her throat.

Laura made a small step toward her and now her leg was touching Edith's.

She tried to flinch, but the other woman quickly moved with her, forcing her to turn slightly so that her back was now facing the desk, her legs were trapped between the wood and Laura's body and she couldn't move in any direction, she couldn't escape.

"You had so many disappointments with men." Laura whispered slowly.

Edith was listening carefully to her voice.

"I was unlucky." she replied "That doesn't mean-"

"Maybe you were just fishing in the wrong sea." Laura waved delicately her wrist, still enclosed into Edith's fingers, which eventually was released. "Men didn't treat you well, lately. Let a girl try."

Edith was staring right into her blue eyes.

She should have felt disgusted, outraged by that scandalous proposal and yet her brain was fighting silently with her heart, pumping fast into her chest.

The second born of the Crawley was struggling.  
She was desperately trying to hide her feelings, her curiosity, her thrill to taste that something new her _friend_ was offering, her excitement of lifting the curtain to uncover a whole new world of sensations and emotions and opportunities and inspiration, a new road of tempting fruits of the most different tastes, bitter and acid and pure like the liquor still moistening her lips and tongue.

"Try?" Edith inhaled deeply, dwelling on the scent of sandalwood dancing from Laura's neck toward her nose with just a hint of Scotch.  
Her golden locks framed her sweet face while a grin, with her lips parted, gave her the devilish look only the slyest of the thieves would have born upon his mouth.

"Let me show you.." Laura murmured and stepped nearer, even nearer, so the small of Edith's back was pressed against the edge of the desk, painfully, but not excessively.

"Show me _what_?" she asked, her brows slightly frowned, her neck sorely tensed as distant as she could from Laura's face.

The other woman didn't answer in words.

She smiled, gently tilted her head to the right and quickly brushed her lips onto Edith's.

It had been so smooth and fast that her mind strived to process what had just happened, as she strived to understand what emotion was she feeling inside her.  
Was it fear or excitement, was it revulsion or curiosity?  
Did she liked it in the first place?

She was staring at Laura with a blank expression.

Her lips tickling for the contact, the taste of the Scotch shared with the other woman still dwelling on her skin, her scent soaking the air she was inhaling, the softness of her skin still tangible under her fingers, her heart racing, wild, against her ribs and her lunges burning with guilt and turmoil as she almost forgot how to breath; that kiss had been so wrong and so right in the same time and with all those contrast feelings inside her chest, she'd never felt so alive.

"Well?" Laura asked carefully, hope very real in her voice. She had tilted her head and her eyebrows had risen up in a waiting full of expectations, she might have not been able to received.

" _Well_.." Edith held her breath, then shook her head, her eyes closed and sighed silently "I don't know."

Laura nodded. Her blue eyes had something dark that couldn't be explained; maybe it was disappointment, maybe it was the defeat, maybe it was her smashed hope and missed chance.. or wrong instinct that brought her to make a very poor decision that could've threatened a friendship, her job, her reputation and so much more.

"I see.." she whispered, lowering her lashes "It was a mistake," she sighed and her lips bent up into a small, melancholic smile "Please forget about all of this.."

She stepped back, shaking slightly her head, but when she was about to leave Edith behind, she felt her fingers enclosing her wrist once again.

"Stay." Edith spoke in a small voice, so soft that it could've barely heard over the crackling fire. Her pads were once more on the woman's skin and once again it was so soft and warm, yet her grasp was so different from the previous one: she wasn't trying to stop her, she wasn't trying to keep her away, on the contrary, she was trying to pull her back, nearer, for she knew that if she'd let her go, she would've regret it for so long, maybe for the rest of her natural life. "I'm sorry." she said "It's just-" she took a breath "I don't know what to do."

Laura smiled.

"I do." she replied, confident, alluring. "Let me." she whispered and turned herself to face Edith once again, her mouth yet dangerously close to hers. "And then you can reject me if you want to."

"Why _me_?"

Edith looked straight into her eyes, backing slightly, for the last time. She knew it.

She couldn't understand why out of thousands of gorgeous women in all London, more beautiful, more kind, more willing than her, Laura had chosen her, the one with hundreds of trouble, the one who was afraid of fly, the one who carefully analysed everything, the boring Crawley sister, the unlucky one.

"I admire you." Laura spoke without hesitation "You think so small of yourself, you built up a wall for nothing." she was widely smiling now "You're brave and strong, more than you think, more than you know."

Laura's free hand carefully found its way to her face.

Time seemed to stop when her finger met Edith's cheekbone; it was a gentle touch, so light that the woman asked herself if that was real or she was just imagining things.

"I think you overestimate me." she lowered her lashes and briefly shook her head. She'd chuckled, and yet her voice was gloomy and melancholic.

Laura brought two fingers under her chin and, mildly, push it up, so that their eyes could meet once again.

"I do not. You deserve much more." she paused, and easily freed her wrist from her clasp, just to take her face into both of her hand. "You already own a lot of things.. a family, money, a paper.. London could be at your feet. But also it's time for you to taste everything this world has to offer."

When Laura kissed her, Edith didn't reject her.

She closed her eyes, savouring the softness of her lips, the buttery feeling of their lipsticks melting together, her steady breath on her mouth, so different from hers, which was fast, panting, striving to follow the expedited beat of her heart.

Her skin trembled when Laura's fingers clasped her chin, harder than the soft grip she'd used before, and without breaking the kiss, she pulled, firmly, thus Edith had no choice but open her mouth, welcoming her tongue, deepening their kiss.

It was an intoxicating sensation she'd never have felt before: her entire world was spinning, wildly, her legs were weak, her mind was blank, and yet she felt steady, she felt right, she felt in the perfect place at the perfect time, for the first time in her life, maybe, she felt completely.. _happy_.

She was charmed by that sensation, she was surprised and fluttered.

"Edith? What ever is the matter?" Laura broke their contact reluctantly, giving her a small smile and a brief caress on her cheek.

Edith stared at her, puzzled, and when she rose her hand to join the other woman's, she realized that her cheek was damp, that some tear had escaped her eyes with her not even noticing.

"It's nothing, really." she whispered and in her voice was clear the shade of positive emotion rushing through her. "I'm just.."

"Happy?" Laura guessed, hoping that that was the right answer.

Edith nodded.

"Happy." she confirmed with a large smile and she sighed, closing her eyes, a great sense of relief spreading into her body, making her feel so light, as a cloud, able to touch the highest sky with her finger.

"I'll take good care of you if you'll just let me."

Laura tilted her head, speaking with an alluring voice, free however from all the mischievous or playful shade she'd might added; on the contrary, it was low and caring, sweet in a certain way. Some might had thought she was begging Edith for something, but she was most definitely not and Edith could feel that.. that was all that counted.

"I have no doubt." Edith replied, and with a lump in her throat, she found enough courage to raise her hand, placing it on the woman's cheek.

She was trembling, they were both slightly trembling.

If Edith was scared, nervous or simply impatient she didn't know.  
It was all so new to her that she couldn't help but thinking that she'd never caressed another woman outside her family and even that happened few times since she was an adult: her kind of people were not exactly known for deliberatively showing their affections.

"So, let me." Laura had closed her eyes, and she was slowly moving her head, in tiny movements, so small that only them could've detect them because their skins where touching.

Edith watched as Laura's cheek brushed against her palm, with her eyes closed and lips slightly ajar, as if she was testing the softness of her skin or she was absorbing something from her hand.

She thought there was something magical in her.

Before she could've realized it, Laura placed her hand on the back of Edith's and their hands tangled together smoothly, like they were meant to be, like two half of the same coin, fitting perfectly the space in between one another's fingers.

This time, Edith imposed herself not to think of anything, nor what could've happened, nor her family, nor what her brain was telling her, fighting hard with her heart and soul, even if also that was showing signals of yielding.

She closed her eyes as well and, in the dark behind her lids, she touched Laura's lips with her own.  
They kissed again, slowly this time, savouring every little detail of that contact.

Each time their mouths met, something felt different.

From the uncertainty of that surprising collision, to the thrill of having more and more, to know more, to taste more, to feel more.

Edith's hand slid into her corn blond hair, unintentionally, when Laura's lips moved from her to find her jawline and, lower, the tensed skin of her neck.

Her fingers stroked her curls, which were stiff first because of the hairspray and then soft, beneath, soft and thin. Edith shivered for the sensation, but left her hand there, dearly caressing her hair every now and then, until her pas found the warm skin of her lobe, which she teased, not really sure what she was doing, but smiling when she felt the other woman's soft breath squirming against her collar bone in puffed giggles.

She'd never felt that way before, nor she had ever felt the impulse to do such things with the other men that appeared into her life, she'd never desired to kiss someone with the intent of discover something new, she'd never wished to stroke someone's hair, to dip her fingers into them, she'd never imagined, as she did so, that someone could've felt the same for her.. and she liked it, she yearned for someone who would touched her and kissed her with the same longing.

Their fingers untied.

Laura slipped smoothly her arms behind her back, holding her closer and closer as their kiss enhanced, the space between their bodies faded and their melted breath became more unsteady as the time passed.

A fog of shiny sparkle possessed their heads as Edith mirrored Laura's actions and both of her hands started to run up and down each other's spines, producing vibrating notes, shivering and secret paths along their skins.

Laura's body was pressed against her.

Edith could feel the rise and fall of her chest, irregular, and so alluring against her breast, and she was pushing, at every gasped breath, to be attached to her, until Edith had no more space for moving, nor drawing air into her lungs and the small of her back hurt, for the edge of the desk was pressing painfully on her bone.

Edith had no choice but to sit on the table.

Laura broke the kiss when she felt that fluttering motion of the body she was holding and she smiled tenderly, looking at the woman blushed cheeks, before settling between her legs.

They both grinned, with a perfect timing, when they found out that even that seemed a perfect fit.

Edith was wearing a grey gown with a v and crossed neckline of a light shade of pink, same colour of the decoration of the fabric: some stylized roses with leaves and thorns; her arms were bare from the elbow down and two black button decorated the edge. The woman wore no jewellery but a small golden brooch, her hair were perfectly combed and strictly pinned with clips of the same colour of her shoes, dark, with a few inches heel and silver buckle.

Now the skirt was wrinkled up, dismissed against the other woman's legs and dress, of a deep shade of blue, navy, with golden stitchings and a bow – of the same fabric of the dress – in the middle of her chest, the waved skirt ended just above her knees, a little shorter than Edith's, and had higher shoes and golden bracelets that clicked at every move.

Edith looked for a while into those light eyes, her thumbs brushing now her cheekbones while her other fingers were securely clasped at her face, from the jawline to her ears, into her hair and Laura's hands covered hers, protectively.

"I would have never thought that-"

"Shh." Laura cut her off, shaking a little her head and with a mild move, she pecked a kiss onto her lips "No more thinking for you." she stated in a small voice, as if the room was crowded by people and Edith had to be the only addressee to those words.

Edith nodded with a broken smile and sealed that silent promise with yet another kiss, which Laura welcomed gladly, aimed by new purposes, given licenses she didn't ask, filled with courage that swept away any fear, animated by the will of knowing of discovering.. maybe driven by the love itself.

Laura didn't think twice, maybe even once, before removing her hand from the safe place on Edith's wrist, placing it firstly on her hip, down to her leg to her knee, until when the hem of her skirt tickled her pads.

She felt the sudden grasp of the other woman's hand on her own, hard at first, but then softer and softer until it became a mare brush on her skin, from which she easily freed herself, continuing her pictured path on her thigh, under the fabric this time, collecting the shivering under her palm, tickled by Edith's fatal goosebumps that made her skin unsmooth.

Reaching her undergarments hadn't been difficult at all.

Laura trembled at the sensation under her fingers, that warm skin so soft and pale – she imagined – pearly white as the most fragile porcelain cup, so precious and unexplored by gentle hands, the same skin that boasted the passage of loves and lovers and yet no one with the same intentions.

Did anyone truly admire her?  
Did anyone truly worship her?  
Did anyone ever touched her to show her wonders and delights just for her own good?

Edith had never been kissed like that, Edith had never been touched like that, with a feather-like contact, almost shy and extremely careful and caring, not ever once rushed or unromantic, not even when she felt her fingers exploring deeper her skin, up to her centre, pleasantly trapped between her body and the fabric.

It was a painless motion, slow and confident, that sent blissful waves to her whole body, capturing her limbs, her bones, her mind, even her very soul. In that moment, all was Laura's; Edith consigned her everything and she took it, just to gave it back, but more beautiful, more complete, more true, sincere, sacred.

Edith's lips crushed fiercely on Laura's mouth, raising a passionate kiss, a thin shell in which she suffocated her panting breath, her moans, her laughs, even her tears, stinging her eyes for such beauty and unforeseen emotion.

Her muscles started to clench and her body grew stiff under the blissful touch, and when she finally reached her release, Laura didn't hesitate to peck her face with light kisses, profoundly satisfied by the broken walls she'd just destroyed, and proud to be the first one to have the allowance of knowing the bold woman's soul, to move the curtain that prevented her to see the whole world she could've just conquered with a snap of her fingers, and maybe by her side, to witness all her success from a privilege spot, to rejoice and cry with her, or to simply.. _love_ her, as more than a friend.

Laura wanted that, since the first time she saw her.

She though she was crazy, and maybe she'd been, but now no more, she would've tried, leaving Edith her time, her own space, to let her decide which side of the world she wanted to explore, with whom she wanted to grasp her hand along the path, what colour did she see at the horizon and the future, what taste would have had her future?

Maybe she had her answer right away, maybe not, but she was taken aback, for the first time in that night, when Edith kissed her again, softly, with her hand caressing her hair and neck, pulling her closer for a long moment.

"Laura-"

They both remained silent, with their lips ajar when the old Big Ben decided to strike the hour, the coming of the down with his five chimes, leaving the two women looking into each others eyes, not sure what to say, not sure what to think.

"I'll wait for you." Laura whispered, pecking a small kiss onto her red lips; a pity shadow compared to their previous kisses, but still tender and devout.

Edith wasn't sure if she was talking about the near future, to walk out the building with her, or if she was talking to a more distant one, when she would've decided what to do with her life, with Laura herself, with that night, pretending it had never happened or consider it as her first step into her real and true world.

"Laura-"

"Not now." she shook her head, a wide smile spreading onto her face as she slipped into her coat and hat. "You'll let me know."

Edith mirrored her expression ans sighed, thanking her silently with a single nod.

"See you tomorrow." she said, not sure that her small voice had been enough clear.

Apparently, yes.

"See you tomorrow, boss." Laura waved her goodbye her with a smirk and a wink; and exiting the door, she only left her blurred image walking away into the darkness of the corridor.

Edith stared for a very long time the gritty glass of the entrance, framed into a square of dark wood, the fire, almost extinguished, sending strange reflections all over the room.

She felt light, Edith, the daughter who always felt misplaced and wrong, a failure, a disappointment, felt right and almost perfect.  
She felt unique and thrilled for breaking a rule she made up in her mind out of common sense and what should have been proper according to society.  
She was a rebellious and maybe a sinner and maybe she should have felt dirty and guilty.. but she didn't.

Edith held the glass in her hand, still half full of dark liquor and took a sip from it, a small smile forming on her lips as the Scotch fell into her throat.

And yet liquors were themselves something not decorous for ladies to drink and yet some added water and ice to excuse a wrong pleasure and make it more decent.. but the sin stayed that way and she saw no point in lying to herself.

She was a sinner maybe but she was more than fine with it.

She didn't need any excuses, not anymore.

She just wanted to taste her burning liquor, neat.


End file.
